John nase



(-No Model.)

J. NASE.

' SPRING CLASP. No. 421,750. Patenqed Feb. '18, I890.

WITNESSES: v INVENTDR I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOIIN NASE, OF SYRACUSE, NElV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE SYRACUSE SPECIALTY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SPRING-CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 421,750, dated February 18, 1890.

Application filed December 30, 1889. Serial No. 336,358. (No model.)

New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spring-Clasps, of which the following, taken in connection with the accomdescription.

This invention relates to the class of springclasps which are usually employed on arctic overshoes and rubber overcoats, but are also adapted for use on other articles; and the invention has special reference to the species of clasps which are formed of sheet metal and have a spring-actuated tongue which interlocks with a slotted catch-plate.

My present invention consists in improved means for securely retaining the tongue in its hinged connection with its supportingframe, as hereinafter fully described, and set forth in the claims.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a spring-clasp embodying my improvements. Figs. 2 and 3 are side views of same, showing the clasp, respectively, in its closed and open positions. Figs. 4: and 5 are detached plan views of the two plates of which the tongue-supporting frame is formed. Fig. 6 is a detached perspective View of the tongue, and Fig. 7 is a detached plan view of a modification of the body-plate of the tonguesupporting frame.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

a and b designate two plates stamped out of sheet-steel and lying flatwise one upon the other and firmly secured to each other at what I term the rear ends by a rivet r passing through them, or by other suitable and well-known means.v The top plate a, which I designate the body-plate, is formed with forward extensions a 0. at opposite sides of the central portion of its front, and said extensions are each provided with a lateral slot 0 in its inner edge and with a slot 0 intersecting the said lateral slot at right angles. The underlying plate I) is formed with forwardlyextending arms I) b, which are each formed with a right-angled recess e in the side adjacent to the body plate a, which recess terminates with an upward-projecting lip Z of sufficient length to project through the lateral slot 0.

t represents the locking-tongue of the clasp. Said tongue has integral with it or rigidly secured to it the flattened pintle p, which lies panying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact normally fiatwise in the recesses e e of the plate b and is of the same or nearly the same depth, so that the pressure of the two plates upon the flat sides of the pintle holds the tongue in-its closed position. The two plates lie normally contiguous to each other and possess sufficient elasticity to allow them to be sprung apart by the turning of the pintle in raising the tongue from its closed position toward an open position, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and thus the tongue receives a spring-action which automatically throws the same either forward or rearward after it has passed a vertical position.

To guard more effectually against the accidental slipping of the pintle out of the recesses e e, I form the pintle p withlugs p'p,

which project upward at right angles therefrom and enter the longitudinal slots 0' c, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The plate a, I preferably form With a crossbar 2', the front edge of which is extended to Y the rear edges of the lateral slots 0 c for the purpose of bracing the slotted portions of the plate.

What I claim as new is- 1. In a spring-clasp, the combination of a body-plate provided with right-angled 'slots, the tongue having its pintle rigid thereon and formed with lugs projecting at right angles from the pintle and entering the aforesaid slots, and a plate secured to the bodyplate and holding between them the aforesaid pintle, as set forth.

2. In a spring-clasp, the combination of a body-plate formed with forward extensions at opposite sides of the central portion of its front and provided with right'angled slots in said extensions, the tongue having its hinged end between the extensions of the body-plate and formed with a flattened pintle lying un der the aforesaid plate-extensions and formed with lugs projecting at right angles from the pintle and entering the aforesaid slots, and a plate secured to the body-plate and pressing the pintle against the latter plate, substantially as set forth.

3. In a spring-clasp, the combination of the tongue having integral with it a pinile formed with lugs projecting at right angles therefrom, a plate formed at one end with rightangled recesses for the reception oi": the pintle, and a superimposed plate secured to the aforesaid plate and provided with longitudinal slots for the reception of the aforesaid lugs, as set forth and shown.

4. In a spring-clasp, the combination of the plate (0, provided at its front end with the lateral slots 0 c and longitudinal slots 0 c, the plate I), secured to the rear end of the plate a and formed at its front end with the lipsZ l, entering the slots 0 c, and the tongue '5, having the pintlep lying between the aforesaid plates and formed with the lugs p 1),

entering the slots 0 c, substantially as described and shown.

5. In a spring-clasp, the combination of the plate a, formed with the extensions a CL and provided with the lateral slots 0 c in said extensions and with longitudinal slots 0' a, intersecting the slots 0 c, the plate 1), secured to the rear end of the plate a and formed with the arms Z2 Z2 and with the recesses e e in said arms and terminating with the lips ll, entering the slots 0 c, and the tongue i having the pintle p in said recesses and formed With lugs 12 p, entering the slots 0 c substantially as described and shown.

In testi 1non ywhereof I have hereunto signed my name this 27th day of December, 1889.

JOHN NASE. [L. s]

Witnesses:

MARK W'. DEWEY, A. R. DICKINSON. 

